INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD OF COMPUTERS

Introduction to Information Technology

COMPUTERS IN YOUR LIFE

Why learn about computers? Basic computer literacy knowing about and understanding computers and their uses is an essential skill today for everyone Computers in the home Look up information, exchange e-mail, shop, download music and movies, research products, pay bills and manage bank accounts, check news and weather, store and organize digital photos, play games, plan vacations, work at home, and more

COMPUTERS IN YOUR LIFE, CONT

Computers in education: from straight drill-andpractice programs to using the computer as an overall student-based learning tool. Colleges and universities, classrooms, computer labs, dorms, libraries

COMPUTERS IN YOUR LIFE, CONT

Computers in

the workplace: Multinational corporation CEOs, check-out clerks, traveling salespeople, police officers, insurance adjusters, doctors and nurses, auto mechanics

COMPUTERS IN YOUR LIFE, CONT

Computers on

the go: portable PCs, Wi-Fi hotspots, Internet cafes, ATM machines, gym ID cards, gas or parking smart cards, portable GPS, kiosks
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WHAT IS A COMPUTER AND WHAT DOES IT DO?

Computer: programmable, electronic device that accepts data, performs operations, presents the results, and can store the data or results Input entering data into the computer Processing performing operations on the data Output presenting the results Storage saving data, programs, or output for 7 future use

What Is a Computer and What Does It Do? cont cont

DATA VS. INFORMATION

Data = raw, unorganized facts

y Can be in the form of text, graphics,

audio, or video

Information = data that has been processed into a meaningful form

COMPUTERS THEN AND NOW

The computer

as we know it is a fairly recent

invention The history of computers is often referred to in terms of generations, from pre-computers and early computers (before 1945) to fifth generation computers (now and the future) Each new generation is characterized by a major technological development
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COMPUTERS THEN AND NOW

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HARDWARE
The physical parts
y

of a computer are collectively referred to as hardware

Internal hardware: located inside the main box (system unit) of the computer y External hardware: located outside the system unit and plug into connectors called ports located on the exterior of the system unit

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HARDWARE, CONT
Input

devices: used to input data into the computer (keyboard, mouse, scanner, electronic pen, etc.) Processing devices: perform calculations and comparisons needed for processing. The main processing device is the central processing unit (CPU) Output devices: present the results to the user (printer, monitor, speakers, etc.)
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HARDWARE, CONT
Storage devices: used to save data, programs or output; store data on storage media (floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, hard drives, flash memory cards, USB flash memory disks, etc.) Communication devices: allow the user to communicate with others and access remote information (modem, network adapters, etc.)

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SOFTWARE
The programs or

instructions used to tell the computer hardware what to do System software: allows a computer to operate Operating system: the main system software program
Boots the computer and launches programs etc. at the user s direction y Windows, Mac OS, Linux, etc.
y
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SOFTWARE
Application software: performs

specific tasks or

applications
y y y y y y y

Creating letters, budgets, etc. Managing inventory and customer databases Scheduling appointments Viewing Web pages Sending and receiving e-mail Designing homes Playing games
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COMPUTER USERS AND PROFESSIONALS

Computer users (end users): people who use a computer to obtain information Programmers: computer professionals whose job responsibility is to write the programs that computers use

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COMPUTERS TO FIT EVERY NEED

Five basic categories

y Mobile devices y Personal computers y Midrange servers y Mainframe computers y Supercomputers

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MOBILE DEVICES
Very small device with some type of built-in computing or Internet capability Typically based on cellular phones Smart phones can be used to access the Web and e-mail, take photos, play games, access calendars, and address books Smart watches can download information from the Internet, store data, play music files, etc.

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PERSONAL COMPUTERS
Small computer system designed to be

used by one person at a time; small enough to fit on a desktop, inside a briefcase Also called a microcomputer PC-compatible: evolved from the original IBM PC; typically runs the Windows operating system Macintosh: type of personal computer manufactured by Apple, uses the Mac OS operating system Can be desktop, notebook, tablet, or handheld computers
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DESKTOP PCS
Desktop PC: the

complete computer system fits on or next to a desk; case styles include: Tower Desktop All-in-one

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PORTABLE PCS
Portable

PC: designed to be carried around y Notebook computers (laptops) y Tablet PCs (either slate or convertible) y Handheld computers (pocket computers):

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PORTABLE PCS, CONT

Handheld

PCs y Typically battery powered y Sometimes referred to as personal digital assistants or PDAs y Have increasing functionality
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PORTABLE PCS, CONT

Cradles and

docking stations can be used with portable PCs to easily connect other hardware, transfer or synchronize data, etc.
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PERSONAL COMPUTERS, CONT

or network computer (NC): PC designed to access a network for processing and data storage Internet appliance: specialized network computer designed for Internet access and/or e-mail exchange
Thin client

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MIDRANGE SERVERS
Minicomputer or

midrange computer: medium-sized computer used to host programs and data for a small network May consist of a collection of individual circuit boards called blades (blade servers)
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MAINFRAME COMPUTERS
Standard choice for large organizations, hospitals, universities, large businesses, banks, government offices Larger, more expensive, and more powerful than midrange servers; usually operate 24 hours a day Also called high-end servers or enterprise-class servers

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SUPERCOMPUTERS
Fastest, most

expensive, most powerful type of

computer Space exploration, missile guidance, satellites, weather forecast, oil exploration, scientific research, complex Web sites, decision support systems, 3D applications Commonly built by connecting hundreds of smaller computers, supercomputing cluster
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SUPERCOMPUTERS, CONT

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COMPUTER NETWORKS AND THE INTERNET

Computer network: collection

of hardware and other devices that are connected together so that users can share hardware, software, and data, as well as communicate with each other Network servers: manage resources on a network Clients: computers on a network that access resources through the network server Computer networks exist in many sizes and types
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WHAT ARE THE INTERNET AND THE WORLD WIDE WEB?

Internet: largest and most well-known computer

network in the world Individuals connect to the Internet using an Internet service provider (ISP) Most common Internet activities: e-mail and accessing the World Wide Web (WWW) Internet refers to the physical structure of that network, the World Wide Web is one resource (a vast collection of Web pages) available through the Internet
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ACCESSING A NETWORK OR THE INTERNET

Need a

modem or network adapter to physically connect your computer to the network (often built into the operating system) allows you to log on to the network and access resources a user
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Software

Many networks and Internet connections require

ID and password to log on to the network

ACCESSING A NETWORK OR THE INTERNET, CONT

Internet addresses are

used to access resources

on the Internet y IP address numeric address that identifies computers (207.46.138.20) y Domain name text-based address that identifies computers (microsoft.com) y Uniform resource locator (URL) identifies Web pages (http://www.pbskids.org) y E-mail address identifies people for e-mail exchange (jsmith@thomson.com)
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ACCESSING A NETWORK OR THE INTERNET, CONT

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SURFING THE WEB

Web browser

Used to view Web pages y A universal tool for exploring and using the Internet y Can view information, download files, view videos, exchange email, etc. via Web pages y Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, Firefox, Opera, etc.
y

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SURFING THE WEB, CONT

To view Web pages

Can type a URL in the Address bar and press Enter to display the corresponding Web page y Can click a hyperlink to display the page corresponding to that hyperlink (point to a hyperlink to see the corresponding URL on the status bar) y Can select a page from the browser Favorites or History list)
y

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SURFING THE WEB, CONT

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SEARCHING THE WEB search: use when you know generally what you want but do not know the URL Search sites: help you locate what you are looking for on the Internet; Google is one of the most popular sites Reference sites: use to look up addresses, telephone numbers, ZIP codes, maps, etc.
Internet
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SEARCHING THE WEB, CONT

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E-MAIL
Electronic messages sent from

one user to another over the Internet or other network Can use an e-mail program such as Netscape Mail, Microsoft Outlook Express, Microsoft Outlook to send and receive e-mail Can use Web-based e-mail to send and receive email via a Web site; e-mail messages stay on the mail server and are viewed using a Web browser
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COMPUTERS AND SOCIETY

The vast

improvements in technology over the past decade have had a distinct impact on daily life, both at home and at work There are numerous benefits of a computer-oriented society, including making many tasks in our lives go much faster Risks include health, security, ethical, and privacy concerns
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COMPUTERS AND SOCIETY, CONT

Other concerns are:
y

Differences in online communications (don t be too casual and use good netiquette) The anonymity factor (people can be somewhat anonymous on the Internet) Information integrity (not all information on the Internet is accurate)

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